To mark Homelessness Week, 6-12 August, the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) will host Ms Jenny Leong MP, NSW Greens Member for Newtown, at its Redfern homelessness service, giving her the opportunity to meet workers on the frontline of the homelessness crisis. WAGEC provides crisis and early intervention accommodation and support services to women, children and young people, and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and/or domestic and family violence. CEO Helen Silvia said, “Homelessness Week is a chance for us to connect with decision makers and to ensure the voices of the people most affected by the issues around homelessness are being heard.” Ms Silvia says she hopes to use the opportunity to talk with Jenny Leong about the issues that are driving homelessness in the Inner City and Inner West, in particular how the housing affordability crisis has created a dire shortage of affordable options for people on low incomes. This year’s Homelessness Week theme is ending Homelessness together. The peak body, Homelessness NSW, has urged politicians to use Homelessness Week as an opportunity to commit to addressing and preventing homelessness. CEO of Homelessness NSW, Katherine McKernan, said: “Having access to affordable, sustainable housing brings a positive contribution to people’s lives and the NSW Government must play an essential role in ensuring it is available to everyone. However, rates of homelessness in NSW have increased 37% since 2011. “Underlying all homelessness is a lack of affordable housing for people on low incomes, and what we need is a monumental boost to public and community housing,” said Ms McKernan.